Breathless
by EtsukoNino
Summary: Syaoran makes a promise to Sakura. OneShotSongfic inspired by Hikaru Utada's Wings.


CLAMP Lawyer says: EtsukoNino does not own Tsubasa.

Hikaru Utada's Lawyer says: She does not own the song, "Wings" either.

---xoxo

Night time came and placed its sleeping spell over the people of this world.

Sakura was no exception to the harmless enchantment and found herself resting on her bed with strands of hair in her mouth, a gentle expression on her face. Sometimes her mouth would move slightly, as if she was speaking to someone in her dream.

Syaoran found himself next to her, watching the princess like a dog; both affectionately and protectively. He sat next to her in silence for most of the early night.

In the background, music from a radio played all sorts of songs. Songs of love, songs of tragedy, songs of laughter... songs of emotion.

Watching her gentle face, he felt a power rise inside of him and slowly make its way upwards. A new song started and he wetted his lips as the words started to come out.

"When we were little, you used to grab my hand and take me to the palace's tallest tower. I remember I smiled one time and you became very flustered. Do you remember?" Syaoran asked, smiling softly to himself as he remembered those days. "You said, 'I can't believe he smiled!' and you turned around to avoid me seeing you."

_Motionlessly, staring at your back _

_I wonder if I should hold you close _

Hesitantly, he lifted his hand to the side of her face but did not touch her. He felt her warmth reach his nervous hand and he pulled back, closing his hand into a fist as if he was afraid to lose something inside it. "Princess..." He whispered breathlessly. "...Sakura." The emotions that led the name to come out confused him. Was he adding to his previous statement or correcting himself? He held his breath as he held back his thoughts and emotions. "I can't love you!" He exhaled, hanging his head low and staring at his lap.

_These bold things are just my imagination _

_(lalalalalala, lalala ooh oh) _

Breathless emotions seemed to recoil at outburst and allow the boy to breath deeply to calm himself. "I used to always be behind you." He continued, "That way I would never have to look at your face and become encouraged by your confident gaze." He looked up slightly to make sure she was still deep in sleep. He felt those breathless emotions coming back and he hurried himself to say more before he lost his breath. "But now you give me your hand and trust me to lead you to a place close to the sky."

_These large, short-term wings just don't fly _

_(Only you are my friend) _

"So now, whenever I turn around all I see is your gentle strength and I feel..." The emotion returned, robbing him of breath once more.

_Soothing words build up but remain unsaid _

_(lalalalalala, lalala ooh oh) _

He waited for the breathless moment to pass. Soon, his thoughts and better judgment would calm him and allow him to breathe again. Syaoran closed his eyes quietly, allowing time to go by at its leisure. He'd just wait a few minutes(or were they seconds?) and everything would be normal again...

_How did I get used to this so easily? _

_(Only you are my friend) _

His mind went back to the days in Clow. "Hey," He started, waiting a few seconds before continuing as if he was hoping Sakura would answer. "Remember that time it rained in Clow?" The boy asked. "And you came to our home and asked if I could play? You wanted to play around the puddles because it hadn't rained in so long..."

_The temperature of my bath isn't warm enough _

_My dependency on you is not enough either _

_Maybe that's just unnecessary kindness to myself _

"We played in the rain all day and then you got sick!" He laughed. It was an honest laugh, born from a warm memory but it came out forced and empty. "The King didn't want me to visit you, he said it was my fault you were sick to begin with but Yukito-san changed his mind. And you told me..." Syaoran smiled softly, looking at his rough hands. "I could hold your hand."

_I want to feel safe in someplace warm _

_(lalalalalala, lalala ooh oh) _

"When you woke up again, I was still there and you told me to tell you a story." He continued, feeling his heart race and color rise in his face as he remembered that time. "You told me to tell you sleeping beauty but you had me change all the names, remember? So the story became Sleeping Sakura instead!"

_Reading my favorite writer's book _

_(Only you are my friend) _

"And at the end of the story... Prince Syaoran-san and Princess Sakura-san lived... happily ever after..." Syaoran finished. The end of his story. He could no longer breathe so he let Sakura breathe softly for him.

_Quickly forgetting the words of yesterday _

_(lalalalalala, lalala ooh oh) _

"I'm sorry." He apologized. "I can't love you." He wished he could have smiled confidently as he spoke but he could feel it fall apart into a frown. "It's not that I don't love you!!" Syaoran whispered quickly. "Because I-I do!! But I...can't..." He explained.

_Why do I doubt someone I love? _

_(Only you are my friend) _

Shaking his head pathetically, Syaoran watched the princess for a moment in silence. "I wonder why I'm telling you this." He mumbled. "You'll never remember it all..." He added sadly. "But... it makes me feel like... I'm helping you remember things when you can't. I feel like if I keep talking to you like this, someday you'll be just like you used to be..."

_Why do I doubt someone I love? _

_(Only you are my friend) _

"And when that day comes, I'll try to say 'welcome back, Sakura.' But I'll probably mess up and not know what I should say out loud." He sighed heavily to himself. Gently, he placed his hand around hers and waited anxiously for her to wake up so he could pull away.

_Why do I doubt someone I love? _

_(Only you are my friend) _

Something inside him told him she wouldn't wake up any time soon so he began to pull his hand away on his own accord. Hesitantly, he placed his index finger on her palm and began to shape letters.

_What I'm writing I can't say in front of you; _

_I'm dreaming of heaven _

"And some day, I'll use my own strength to tell you that." He promised.

---xoxo

EtsukoNino wishes everyone Happy Holidays! Best wishes, both under the tree and mistletoe!


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